Badass Fitness

Power starts in your core...and this Power Core series is your start!

As an instructor, I'm known for leading hard-charging, high-energy Badass Bootcamps filled with burpees, jump squats, suicides, shuttle runs, ladder drills and more. Cycling classes are just as intense, with hard-driving, bass-pumping music and plenty of steep climbs followed by fast descents.

Yet one of my favorite classes to teach each week is the one set inside a yoga studio, with a backdrop of mellow music and low lighting. My Sunday afternoon PowerCore at Yoga Quest is outside my fitness comfort zone, which makes me love it all the more.

It forces me to settle down, to enjoy the quiet - and to push my body and that of students in a different way. In many ways, this is one of the most challenging classes to take, and teach.

Twelve-plus minutes of planks, plus warrior crunches and wood chops will do that! My students groan with every plank. But here is why I push: athletic performance - whether you are a true competitor or a weekend warrior - starts in the core. It is what holds you up during the last mile of the triathlon. It makes you a stronger swimmer, a better cyclist, a more powerful force on the baseball field, the football field, the basketball court, etc.

So try this core routine, and tell me what you think. It will take about 45 minutes.  

Not sure what a walkout plank is? Watch my demo here. Also check out demos for the walking plank and waist cinchers! Good stuff!

Coming up: Chicken "fried rice" you'll want to eat with a shovel, not chopsticks cuz it is just that good!

 

Badass Product Review: Gauging Muscle Gauge's label promise

Confession: I'm "that girl" who will sometimes take way too long to figure out what to order from the menu.

And my biggest disappointment comes when I order something, only to realize when it arrives, "Ugh, I ordered the wrong thing! I should have gone with what my instinct - and stomach - told me to order in the first place! I was overthinking again!"

In hindsight, I think this is what happened with me and Muscle Gauge. I ordered the wrong thing. And the thing I ordered is not, based on my research of other blogger reviews, their strongest product. (Insert my inner voice cursing myself: Damn! I did it again! Overthinking the menu!)

Here's the deal: Muscle Gauge sent me a free product in exchange for a product review, an opportunity that came as part of my work as a Fitfluential Ambassador. I was not paid for the review, but was given a chance to choose a free product from among Muscle Gauge's many protein powders, fat burners, multivitamins and other supplements.

I chose the Country Lemonade BCAA because I do so much intense training and teaching, and I regularly take branch-chain amino acids - as they support muscle recovery, the growth of lean muscle, and powerful performance during workouts. I also love all things lemon-flavored! So I figured, what a great chance to try a new brand of BCAAs! I was pumped!

My product arrived, and here's what the label promised: "amazing taste" and "instant mixing." Sweet, I thought.

But here's what my experience with the product was: It did not mix easily. BCAA powders tend to be somewhat clumpy, but this was much moreso than any BCAA's I have tried. No matter how I shook and stirred it with water, it remained clumpy like this:

And  even more important, the taste was more cough syrup-y than sweet lemonade. So much so that I could not get this down more than twice - not enough to tell you yet one way or another how much it did or did not aid my performance. That said, I am going to try and mix it this week with some Crystal Light Pure to see if that makes it a better taste. We shall see!

In the meantime, I was on a deadline to post this review. And I am being honest because that's what this blog is about. To be honest, I was disappointed. See, I wanted to love this stuff. I have read fellow fitness bloggers' reviews of the Muscle Gauge protein powders, and they were loving the cake batter and other protein powder flavors. In fact, the only potential downside I had read in a few protein powder reviews was "too sweet," which is a concept this girl doesn't even fathom! ;)

So here I am, yet again, coveting what other fitness bloggers ordered and kicking myself for not going with my gut instinct of: order the protein powder, even if it IS more "primal" than "paleo." #sigh.

I am actually thinking of ordering the powder myself, just because now I am so curious and fixated that I NEED to know. Crazy, right? But I've seen enough blog reviews of the powders - especially the cake batter flavor - to know I could make some mean smoothies, pancakes and other goodies with the stuff! 

But in the meantime, I also hope Muscle Gauge continues to work on its formula for the BCAA powder consistency and flavor. Both can use some work. Because the label promise of "amazing taste" and "instant mixing" are a stretch, at least in my experience. In the meantime, I'll work on perfecting my ability to trust my gut when looking at a menu!

PS: Have any of you tried the Muscle Gauge products? Thoughts? Likes and dislikes? I'd love to know!

Coming up: Pumpkin Chocolate Protein brownies so healthy AND delicious, they are Badass-Approved as post-cycling fuel - and result in my students demanding, "I need that recipe!"

Badass Product Review: Trigger Point Chills Out to Step it Up!

Ever since I tweaked my lower back last year after too many track speedwork sessions and not enough time with my massage therapist and foam roller, I have been diligent and adamant about making the time and setting aside a budget for monthly sports massages, plus weekly CryoSauna sessions and foam roller "therapy"  a few times a week using Trigger Point's products. (I refer to them affectionately as "foam roller on steroids"!)

I learned the hard way that when your body and muscles ARE your job and work tool, sports massages and cryotherapy are not "indulgences." They are critical maintenance tools. Without them, I am no good for my students and clients and my muscles scream at me way too loud.

With massage and CryoSauna, I perform better. My muscle recovery time is markedly shorter - a must given my heavy load of classes and clients. Moreover, I recommend my hard-working students and clients give just as much care to their own muscle recovery and tension release. Overworked and under-indulged muscles don't get stronger. They just get injured.

So imagine my excitement when Trigger Point founder Cassidy Phillips and his team debuted a new product at the IDEA fitness conference I attended in San Diego last month. They call it the Cold Roller, and they had a few on hand at their IDEA expo hall booth, where I fell in love and pre-ordered one ($109.99).

It combines the cold therapy I get in the CryoSauna (which is like a speedy, dry-cold version of the ice bath) with the myofascial release I get with their Grid, Quadballer, etc.)

You store the Cold Roller in the freezer, and once it's out it stays cold for two hours. Much like the CryoSauna but for far less cost-per-use, the Cold Roller provides the benefits of the ice bath  but without the need to "thaw out" frozen, stiff muscles for hours and hours afterward. Instead the Cold Roller rejuvenates and stimulates the targeted muscles with the rolling effect.

As you'll see from the video below, it sort of resembles the much-parodied Shake Weight - but I promise you the Cold Roller is nothing to laugh at. I have used it every other night this week after my 2-a-days of bootcamps and cycling classes, and all I can say is: Wow. My quads, IT bands and hamstrings are very, very happy!

Badass Fist Bump to the Trigger Point theme for this awesome product!

   

Coming up: Algae for extra energy and less hunger?...some of my favorite, latest Fit Fashion...and a Badass playlist and cycling ride to roll through!

CryoSauna: A brief body freeze for lasting recovery, energy

 

Europeans have been doing it for years. The Dallas Mavericks used it to power players through the NBA playoffs to a championship win. Dr. Oz swears by it.

And now, full-body cryotherapy is catching on in the United States - from Nike and other athletic training centers to a small but growing number of doctors' offices and medical spas. Think of whole-body cryotherapy as the old-school ice bath on steroids - faster, more effective at reducing inflammation and speeding muscle recovery, and without the discomfort of sitting in cold, wet ice for 30 minutes or more.

Developed in the late 70s in Japan, it has been popular in Europe for years among those with muscle and joint inflammation disorders including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis. It also helps reduce skin inflammatory disorders like eczema and psoriasis. For athletes, the quick full-body freeze speeds up muscle recovery and metabolism.

Said Dennis Mitchell, former Olympic sprinter and coach, whose athletes use the CryoSauna machine: "Our athletes are training harder, recovering faster and increasing speed and performance after just a few sessions."

So when Whitfield Chiropractic clinic here in Tallahassee invited me to come try the CryoSauna, one of just a few in Florida and only 20 or so in the United States, I was all in. Two days later, my muscles aren't as sore as they typically are by this time in the week, when I have taught multiple classes. My energy level is higher (which, if you know me, is already pretty high). And the day of the CryoSauna visit, I literally felt like I could have done 100 burpees without stopping. All of that after less than 3 minutes inside the CryoSauna booth. Amazing.

I am going back for more today and have recommended it to a few clients, fellow fitness devotees, and friends with arthitis and other conditions that I think will be eased with a few sessions. ($59 each or $39 each for a 10-session package) 

Dr. Ron Whitfield has been getting into the CryoSauna twice a week since December. He also reports higher energy levels, and he lost 10 pounds without trying - thanks to the 500- to 800-calorie burn that comes in the few hours after a session as the body works to warm itself back up.

"I've always been a pretty lean guy, so I was actually surprised by the weight loss effect," he told me." The video below features Dr.Whitfield explaining the CryoSauna a bit more.

Also, here is a brief "CryoSauna 101":

What to expect: The CryoSauna looks like a stand-up tanning booth. You undress, put on a robe and socks step inside. The doctor will have you close the door and remove the robe while placing your hands at the top. A liquid nitrogen tank attached to the back pumps the cold air in. You stand in there for 2 to 3 minutes.

How it works: Our bodies remain, in so many ways, stuck in primitive times. When we don't feed them, our metabolism slows down to protect us from starvation. And when we subject them to Ice Age temperatures, our bodies go into a fight-or-flight response that is meant to keep us from freezing to death. As the CryoSauna exposes the skin to super-cold temps, our bodies go into "I am freezing, must survive" mode and the blood rushes to our core to keep our organs going. There, it is enriched with oxygen and nutrients as our body works in super-amped survival mode. Blood pressure goes up slightly (not enough to feel anything, in my experience). As soon as we step out into the warm air, the oxygenated blood rushes back out, flooding the peripheral tissues and flushing out toxins.

How this helps the body, skin, muscles: The brief "freeze" activates collagen in the skin similar to laser treatments, improving skin elasticity and tone and reducing cellulite. The constriction of blood vessels followed by the post-CryoSauna flushing also flushes out toxins and helps with conditions like psoriasis and rosacea. The procedure also boosts endorphins and speeds up metabolism, pushing the body to burn 500 to 800 calories in the few hours after the procedure (and more over time with regular sessions). The anti-inflammatory and analgesic affect also helps with joint disorders and muscle soreness. Overall, immunity is boosted.

Why it's better than an ice bath: Ice baths an be painful, and even after 30 minutes or so submerged the skin temperature doesn't go below about 41 degrees or so. And by that time, the muscles are literally frozen and pretty immobile. For athletes, this means downtime they can't afford. With CryoSauna, the skin is exposed to dry cold of minus 220 degrees Fahrenheir, dropping the skin temperature rapidly to about 30 degrees. But as soon as you step out of the CryoSauna, blood rushes back out from your core and you feel a rush of endorphins and energy - making for a quick and high-octane return to physical activity. It's like 5-Hour Energy with none of the fake jittery feeling.

 

Coming up: A guide to getting nutty...

Three 'luxuries' that aren't

Massages and 90-minute yoga classes. A new pair of kicks. A warm bath filled with Epsom salts, the door shut to keep out any distractions of pets, kids and family. A workout outfit to replace those ratty, baggy T-shirts we've been wearing.

Indulgent luxuries? Essentials in the Badass Journey? How about both? Massages and warm baths aren't essential like food and water, and we can always find excuses for "better things" to spend money on than sneakers and running pants.

But when you're pushing your muscles harder, running further and longer, and testing your physical limits, these luxuries become essentials. I learned the hard way recently, going a few months without regular massages and running in the wrong shoes for my pronating feet. Result: tweaked right hip flexor and glute.

When we're taking (or teaching) multiple classes per week, or training for a race or endurance event, we are asking a lot of those muscles and joints. And plenty of research shows there are real and measurable benefits from some of these "luxuries." So next time you think about skipping them or "going without," consider...

1. Massages and yoga: An hour of massage has the equivalent healing benefits of 7 to 8 hours of sleep, my masseuse at Cabello's here in Tallahassee told me. A sports massage helps release the lactic acid that builds up with intense training. If you are lucky enough to find the right masseuse, regular visits can speed up muscle recovery and tightness - preventing injuries.

Yoga is equally beneficial, particularly for stretching muscles and improving flexibility so that we perform better when it counts. Yoga, depending on the variety, also can tone muscles and provide a gentle cardiovascular workout that counts as "active recovery." It reduces blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse rate, even as it boosts energy levels and helps us sleep better.

2. The right kicks and workout clothing: The owner of Shaw's Athletics, a shoe and clothing store here in Tallahassee, cringes every time he walks past the group fitness room at his gym and sees people doing a step or kickboxing class in running shoes. He also cringed when I went in a few weeks ago for inserts and he saw how much I pronate without them. Investing in a good pair of sneakers - and a pair for each of whatever activity you do - is NOT a luxury. Skipping out for a cheap pair is like going into battle with a toy gun. You might survive a few skirmishes, but eventually it will catch up with you. I learned the hard way, and will never be so foolish again. Your body - including your feet - is your machine. The armor you protect it with is just as important as the fuel you put into it.

This applies to workout clothes, too. It isn't necessary to buy the most expensive line of workout gear out there, and lucky for us places like Target carry good and affordable lines like C3 by Champion. But to perform your best, you need clothes that let your skin breathe and your arms and legs move. If you cycle, you need cycling shorts. If you do yoga, sweatpants and baggy T are not the way to go.

3. Epsom salt baths: I am not sure where these were hiding all my 30-plus years, but I have finally awakened to the awesomeness of Epsom salt baths and am addicted. Just 15 or 20 minutes in a warm Epsom salt bath a couole of times a week can make a big difference in your muscle recovery time. Do it at the end of the day, and it will also ease you right to sleep.

Epsom salt is rich in magnesium, which is absorbed through the skin as we soak in it. Magnesium helps reduce inflammation, thus cutting down on pain and muscle cramps. It is vital to bodily functions including muscle control, energy production and the elimination of toxins. It is also a natural stress reliever - helping the body to bind serotonin, the mood-elevating chemical that gets released from the brain.

I have been diligent in "indulging" in bi-monthly massages, weekly hot yoga, the right shoes, and Epsom salt baths. Result: A healing hip flexor and glute, and stronger performance in classes and my own weight training.  

So go ahead and "indulge." If anyone questions you, tell them your trainer told you to! ;)

Coming up: A few workout moves for a stronger upper body, and a Badass Recruit shares her latest recipe makeover. Hint: a cheesy casserole can still be yours to enjoy this holiday season...

Badass Beverage: Chocolate Milk!

Today, we celebrate a rare occurrence in the Badass Universe. Today, we celebrate confirmation that something we THOUGHT was a guilty indulgence turns out to be a HEALTHY, must-have food in our Badass sports training Arsenal.

Today, we celebrate...chocolate milk!!!

It's true. That creamy chocolate deliciousness we used to chose over apple juice or lame, plain milk while trudging through the elementary school cafeteria turns out to have been the choice of Badasses-in-the-making.

We spend all sorts of cash on "sports drinks" and "protein shakes," yet various studies increasingly show that the best post-workout fuel for endurance athletes is chocolate milk. Suh-weet!!!

For example, a recent study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism cited fat-free or low-fat chocolate milk as the ideal post-exercise recovery drink -- better than plain milk, water, or Gatorade, Powerade and the like.

Here's why:

1. Chocolate milk has twice as many carbohydrates and protein as plain milk, water and most sports drinks. Eight ounces of reduced fat milk contains between 160-170 calories, and skim milk contains 160 calories approximately per eight ounces. That's ideal for replenishing overworked muscles after a long run, cycle and/or swim.

2. Chocolate milk is high in water and in nutrient-dense electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, so it replaces the fluids you lose when you sweat through a long workout.

3. Chocolate milk is low in sodium and (natural) sugars, and it's corn syrup and processed-sugar-free -- providing just the right amount of nutritional energy to athletes.

No wonder athletes like Olympian Michael Phelps drew are often spotted drinking the stuff!

A note of caution: This research is NOT a pass to chug gallons and gallons of chocolate milk, nor to add Hershey's chocolate syrup to your oatmeal and frozen yogurt! The research found that chocolate milk is best for cyclists, swimmers and long-distance runners because their endurance training and events burn up lots of energy. That means they need more calories, carbs, and protein than the average gym rat who jogs in the treadmill for 20 minutes and lifts weights for 30.

So know what your Badass needs, and choose your post-workout fuel accordingly. If you're doing endurance cardio, consider saving cash spent on Powerade or Muscle Milk shakes and opting instead for that old-school favorite.

If you're lucky, maybe you can even find your chocolate milk in a cardboard carton. Just like in kindergarten...

Coming this week: The temps drop, and we wear jeans. Time to tighten that tush!...

Hump-Day Humor for the Badass Army

The Badass Journey isn't easy. Sure, all those 5ks and squats and pushups and cycling classes make us stronger and leaner. But they also leave us sore, tired and sweaty.

And the oatmeal and egg whites and fruits and vegetables make us healthier, but sometimes we just want a cookie topped with ice cream, right? Fo' sho.

One of my training clients' friends learned the meaning of "sore" this past weekend, when she came with my client to my Badass Boot Camp for the first time. As I type, this Badass Boot Camp virgin is still feeling the burn from all of those ramp sprints, pushups, and trips up and down the stairs of Doak Campbell Stadium.

She e-mailed my training client to explain just how sore she is ("I was asked yesterday if I had blisters on my feet because I was walking so funny due to extreme overworking of my calves on Saturday," she wrote.) My client, funny Badass that she is, replied with a Top 10 List of things she has discovered during her own Badass Journey.

I'm sharing it as we embark on Hump Day, hoping that you Badasses will put it on your fridge or near your computer at work. If anything, it will remind you that you are not alone.

Top 10 Badass Journey Wisdoms
 
1. I threw up after my first work out and proceeded to lay on the floor still and silent for at least 45 minutes.
2. One night I was so sore and tired, that I actually ate dinner in the bathtub.
3. My vagina is on its second life from the cycling bikes and I've had bruises in weird places from the resista-bands.
4. I've eaten so much spinach, flaxseed, almonds and fiber cereal that I feel like a squirrel.
5. I had to buy WIDE trail running shoes to accomodate my bunions.
6. Once it took me over an hour to get out of bed to go work out.
7. I was in Publix in the produce section and smelled something horrible and just figured it was the vegetables, but then I realized it was me after a workout.
8. My shoulders are getting wider by the minute - now all I need is a Speedo tan to be like my swimming days.
9. I've been hungry for a good ten weeks now.
 
And the final and most important one . . .
 
10. I've pretty much accepted that my body only likes to lose .1 lb a week, as clearly shown through the past four weeks.

Coming Friday: Is that fitness "must-buy" worth your dough? 
 

Today's new fitness words: Indo-Sore, Indo-Strong!

Finally, I have found the perfect cross training - the kind of workout that challenges my muscles and my heart but doesn't wreck my joints or tear up my cartilage. The kind of workout that is just as calming as it is invigorating.

Yes, indoor rowing is my new favorite training BFF! And this Badass CEO is strongly encouraging all of you Badass soldiers to give it a try if you haven't already.

Indoor rowing has been around forever, but I'm in love with the hottest and newest incarnation: IndoRow, an indoor rower with a water tank for real water resistance that is the foundation for group classes featuring intervals, speed drills, waves that build, and an all-out relay race at the end. Totally Badass.

I trained for eight hours on the indoor rowing machine this past weekend as part of my instructor certification, and I torched so many calories that my stomach wasn't really satisfied all day. When I woke up Monday morning, I felt awesome. A little sore in my quads and glutes, but it was that "good sore."

That was my "aha!" moment, when I knew indoor rowing would be the ideal compliment to my cycling and strength training.

IndoRows are hot in California and New York, and favored by the likes of Lady Gaga. They're newer to Florida. But there are no excuses in the Badass Army, right? So if you don't live anywhere near a facility with IndoRow classes, suck it up and put that old-school indoor rower at your gym to use!

Consider the benefits:

• A full-body workout: Indoor rowing, used correctly, works the legs, core and upper body by mimicking a leg press, a hip hinge and a row.
• Intense calorie burning without intense impact: A 45- to 60-minute rowing class or personal session can torch between 400 and 800 calories, yet there is none of the pounding that comes with running.
• Dynamic, functional flexibility: The first time you get on a rower, especially if you're a runner or cyclist, you'll likely realize very quickly that your back and hips are tight as hell. But once you start rowing, leaning forward with the "oars" and pulling them back, it opens up your back and your hips and will ultimately make you a better all-around athlete or weekend warrior.
• Finding your personal best: The IndoRow and other indoor rowing machines have monitors to tell you exactly how fast you're going through water, how well you're maintaining your stroke rate, etc. So every time you get on that puppy, you can push yourself to perform better and stronger than you did the previous go-round.

That's what this Badass thing is all about: Getting better, getting stronger, pushing harder. So here's a workout to be used on the IndoRow or any indoor rowing machine- preferably with some Badass tunes plugged into that iPod. Try it as cross-training to compliment your cycling, running, etc.

Badass Rowing 101

Warmup: Row at an easy pace, about 22 or 24 stroke rate, for 5 minutes.

Pressure buildup: Row easy for 90 seconds, then at medium effort (about a 26 stroke rate) for 90 seconds, and then full effort (about a 28 stroke rate) for 90 seconds.

Recover: Row at easy to medium effort for 4 minutes.

Interval: Row easy for 30 seconds, hard for 30 seconds, and keep alternating every 30 seconds for a total of 5 minutes.

Recover: Row easy for 3 minutes.

Buildup: Row easy for 2 minutes, and kick it up for two. For the last two minutes, go at full effort.

Recover: For 2 minutes, row easy.

Personal best sprint: For 30 seconds, row at medium effort. For one minute, row all-out. Come back for 30 seconds, and for the last minute, row all-out, trying to go faster than you did the first sprint.

Cool down: Keep rowing at an easy to light pace, and breathe as your heart rate comes down.

Coming Friday: Badass CEO's Favorites, Fall 2010 Edition

Monday Pop Quiz! Test your Badass IQ

It's just another Manic Monday, Badasses! I figure the best way to wake up our brains for the week ahead is by way of a pop quiz that tests your Badass Fitness IQ.

There will be no official grade entered into your GPA, but it's always worth knowing whether we really know all that we think we know about fitness and clean eating. Knowledge and accurate information is power - specifically, power to fuel you along the Badass journey.

So go ahead, test your Badass IQ! (The answers are below...and no cheating!)

1. True or False:

Eggs should not be eaten daily because they'll raise your cholesterol.

2. True or False:

Dairy is the only way to get the daily recommended calcium.

3. You can work your core with:

A. Mountain climbers

B. Planks

C. Push-ups

D. None of the above

E. All of the above

4. The ideal BMI is:

A. Anything under 20

B. Anything between 25 and 35

C. Anything between 19 and 25

5. Which of the following takes the longest to digest?

A. Carbs

B. Protein

C. Fat

6. True or False:

It's not good to do strength training/weightlifting two days in a row.

7. The best formula for losing weight and staying lean is:

A. 100 percent intense cardio

B. 100 percent weightlifting

C. A mix of cardio and weightlifting

D. None of the above

8. A deadlift works which of the following:

A. Glutes

B. Glutes and hamstrings

C. Glutes, hamstrings and lower back

D. None of the above

9. The best breakfast choice is:

A. Starbucks blueberry scone with a grande vanilla latte

B. McDonald's Egg McMuffin

C. Large bowl of Cascadian Farm granola cereal with low-fat milk

10. For maximum calorie burn, the best method is:

A. Long endurance runs at a steady moderate pace

B. Interval training that mixes slower paces with high-intensity bursts of speed

Answers

1. False: Eggs are nutritionally second only to mother's milk, and an egg and a couple of egg whites everyday will not break your cholesterol "bank," which is largely hereditary.

2. False: Spinach and broccoli are also excellent sources of calcium.

3. The answer is E. It doesn't have to be a crunch to work your core. When done with proper form, mountain climbers, planks and pushups all involve activating your core muscles.

4. The answer is C. The ideal is 19 to 25. Over 30 is in the clinically "obese" range, which brings a whole host of medical concerns. And going below 20 - especially for females - can mean being too lean (yes, there is such a thing!) and having issues with hormone imbalances and menstrual irregularities. Calculate yours.

5. The answer is B. Protein takes longer to digest -- which is why chicken or  scrambled eggs leave you feeling full longer than, say, a few sugary carb-filled cookies. Multiple studies show that those who start off their day with eggs, for example, overall take in fewer calories throughout the day than those who start off with cereal or something else. So make sure you're getting a mix of lean proteins, healthy fats and complex ("good") carbs in your daily eating. 

6. False. You can lift weights two, three, even five days in a row as long as you break up which body parts you work. So think quads today, back tomorrow, biceps and triceps the next day, and hams and glutes the day after.

7. The answer is C. Muscle burns more calories even at rest than fatty tissue. Cardio like running and cycling is a great calorie burn and will make your heart stronger. But strength training will not only improve cardio performance, it will sculpt those muscles and build the lean muscle tissue that keeps your metabolism humming - while preventing conditions like osteoporosis later on.

8. The answer is C. Done properly, the deadlift works your glutes and hamstrings as you come up and squeeze the glutes. But it also engages and strengthens your lower back as you work to keep the core tight and your back from being rounded as you come up and down.

9. The answer is B. Surprised? Well, the blueberry scone (460 calories) and latte (250 calories) are calorie-dense and filled with sugar and the kind of carbs that will send your blood sugar soaring - then crashing. And the bowl of granola is dense with calories (about 400 for a big bowl) and sugar (28 grams for 1.5 cups) but low in protein (8 grams). McDonald's doesn't seem like the best choice, but that Egg McMuffin is only 300 calories and has a good balance of carbs (29 grams), protein (18 grams) and fat (12 grams) with minimal sugar.

10.  The answer is B. Interval training that sends the heart rate up and down burns lots of calories and fat. By mixing bursts of high intensity with low intensity "recovery" periods, you're challenging both your aerobic and anaerobic systems, getting the benefits of both aspects of training at the same time. Indoor cycling classes, treadmill sprints and track workouts are a great choice for interval training.

Coming Wednesday: Badass Bookshelf - Women, Food and God

Badass Fitness: Monday Myth Buster Edition!

 
Does this sound familiar?:

Butter's bad for you; eat margarine. Oh, wait. Margarine is terrible, go back to butter.

The best diet is Atkins. Oh, wait. The best diet is South Beach.

Heavy weights and fewer reps are best. Oh, wait. Light weight and high reps are the way to go.

Out here in the universe of fitness and health, there is a lot of information. Some of it is just plain wrong. Some of it is convoluted. Some is right on target. All of it, put together, is enough to make the Badass Army's collective brain scatter in a million confused directions.

Being successful in the Badass Journey has a lot to do with motivation and determination, but it's tough to stay on track without the right (read: accurate) information. To start off yet another week, I present you with the...drum roll...Monday Myth Buster Edition!!!

1. I should avoid eggs because they'll raise my cholesterol: Eggs, nutritionally speaking, are second only to mother's milk. The cholesterol hype of years past has mostly died down, thanks to studies showing that eating a whole egg or two everyday is most certainly not going to put you on cholesterol-lowering meds.

2. Eating fat will make me fat: Multiple studies show that people who regularly consume a  higher level of omega-3 fatty acids are slimmer – while obese individuals are almost always deficient in these type of fats. Our bodies need fat to absorb nutrients. That's why a spinach salad dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar is better than a naked spinach salad. The key is to avoid saturated fats and seek out "good fats" like the ones found in olive oil, flaxseed oil, and foods like eggs and avocados.

3. If a female lifts too many weights, she'll look like a man: If she takes steroids along with those dumbbell curls, then yes Roberta might start to look and sound like Robert. But I lift weights often, and heavy ones - 12 reps of a 360-pound leg press, thank you very much! And I'm pretty sure I still look like Shannon, not Shane. The fact is, lifting weights builds lean muscle -- whittling us into shape, boosting metabolism and strengthening our bones to stave off osteoporosis.

4. I can't lift weights everyday: We should definitely give our bodies a rest day, but you can absolutely lift weights on multiple days in a row as long as you're dividing up your program so that different body parts are worked on different days. Example: Glutes and hamstrings with abs on Monday, back and biceps on Tuesday, chest and triceps on Wednesday, quads and calves with abs on Thursday, and shoulders with core work on Friday.

5. For a six-pack, I should do 100 crunches every night: Give me 15 minutes, and I'll work your core without ever doing a single crunch. With planks, mountain climbers, pikes, woodchops and other moves, you can strengthen your core in a functional way while developing that washboard - and eliminating a lot of those boring crunches.

6. The key to losing weight is to eat as little as possible: WRONG! The key to losing weight is to burn more calories than we take in. But our bodies are pretty much still the vessel of caveman days. So if we drop daily calorie intake too low (below 1,200 calories, as a general guide), our bodies go into "foraging for food" starvation mode and metabolism slows to a crawl. It's a survival mechanism. The best method is to feed your body moderate, sensible meals while exercising. Skipping meals or eating carrots for dinner is not the way to go.

7. Snacking is bad: Americans have been programmed to eat three, sometimes just two, big meals. But to keep blood sugar levels stable and to keep the 'furnace' that is our metabolism burning, the ideal formula is smaller meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner with a couple of healthy snacks thrown in. Think almonds, string cheese, fruit, hummus, carrots, whole grain crackers, etc.

8. Cardio is the best way to boost my metabolism: Cardio is a great calorie torcher, but for long-term metabolism boosting the best strategy is to build lean muscle through a combination of cardio and strength work (read: lift weights! Use resistance bands! Do pushups!). Muscle builds more calories, even at rest, than fat. So add muscle, and raise your metabolism.  

9. Chocolate, coffee, and wine are evil: Lots of things are evil in moderation (I.e. murder, embezzlement, smoking crack, kicking the dog). But chocolate, coffee and wine do not belong on the "do not touch" list. Dark chocolate has antioxidants, it is a mood booster, and sometimes we just need it. Coffee has been shown to make those who drink it regularly far less likely to develop Parkinson's. And red wine contains antioxidants such as reseveratrol that may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of "good" cholesterol and protecting against artery damage.

10. The best diet for me is [insert diet-of-the-moment here] and the best workout plan is [insert the latest celebrity-driven workout here]: I hate the word "diet." It sounds inherently temporary, when in fact healthy eating should become a way of living. A part of your everyday life. So the perfect plan for you is the one that keeps you healthy, lean, strong - and HAPPY. There's no use going through life feeling starved and self-deprived. Find balance in your eating.

And as far as exercise, the best method for you is the one that you enjoy. If you hate distance running, don't force yourself to train for a half-marathon. If cycling is your thing, have at it! I often tell my cycling students, "This is your ride. Control it. Do what works for you." This life is your Badass Journey. So take it as your own. Find what works, and keep going.

Coming Wednesday: A new head-to-toe Badass busting routine!